Labour Day to Halloween 2015 Challenge

[Mermaid3011]

Hi everybody! This is a group with awesome people and we all have the same goals! We may have different ways to get there, so please keep the thread friendly so we can all enjoy the journey!

We are starting on Labour Day - September 4 and will be ending this challenge on Halloween October 31. 

I know you will all give your best - just remember: keep your goals achievable and HAVE FUN!!!

Looking forward to seeing you all succeed!

Birgit

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot  Wishing you the best tonight.  Any woman who can paste on rhinestones, must have some wonderful  focus and patience that is useful in many parts of life.  I bet it becomes kind of rhythmic after awhile.  Like a kind of dance.

Our minds can be categorized 3 ways:  1-  the sloth mind (no offense to sloths) which seems passive, quiet, inactive, just hangin out, no focus, not much happening (I also think of it as the TV mind);   2 - the chimpanzee mind - which seems hyper active, chattering away, jumping from one thing to another, getting nowhere;  3 - the lion mind, which seems focused, waiting, watching intently, calm in the knowledge that it can do what it needs to do, knowing it is king/queen and it rules, with calm focused intensity, waiting for the opportunity, looking quiet but ready to spring into action, moving with precision, without any wasted motion, gracefully, purposefully. Like a surgeon.  Like  a dancer.

Tonight, you rule. 

[Bobbinyc]

@SunsetRunner  I love what you posted.

Sometimes we forget this is not a mechanical process - if I do this, the scale will do that.  It is biological.  If we nourish ourselves in a healthy way and are active in a health promoting way, we get there.  But each day, our body has to do it's thing.  It has to keep all of our growing muscles strong, raise our metabolism, provide the energy we want, protect all cells and organs....oh yeah, get rid of our fat on cue.  A whole lot going on there. It's hard to trust that it will happen if we treat our bodies with respect.  (Even when that chocolate cake is calling me).

[Bobbinyc]

@debbriko  and anyone else who had a weight gain.   Not to worry.  It is a learning curve about taking good care of yourself and your body needs time to respond. The scale is never an opportunity to get down on yourself. Think about the week - any habits you would like to change? anything that is not healthy that you could cut back on?  Could you be more active?  More veggies? Healthy fats?  

My scale goes up and down, despite moving in the right direction.  But I have years of not being active and not eating well, some health issues, etc.  My body needs to catch up to the new plan.  I ate well and began walking for 2 months before losing a pound.  Then I lost 20 pounds in 2 months.  Now it is slow again.  

You will get there.  Just stay focused and positive and keep thinking about making the changes you can make to be healthy and your body will respond. 

[JacquelineP]

@Bobbinyc What a poetic response! to @dancefoxtrot.  Kudos to both of you!

[SunsetRunner]

@Bobbinyc

It's amazing all the infinite things our bodies do for us automatically.

[JacquelineP]

This is my first follow-up posting for the challenge.  I went up a pound and then came down two, with a net loss of one pound.  (in almost two weeks)  I'll take it!  🐵

SW: 221

CSW: 203  (challenge starting weight)

CW: 202

Halloween GW: 195

UGW: 150-160

What's more important, though, is that I set a challenge for myself at the beginning of May that I would be able to do a hike that I specially love by the end of September.  Yesterday I did it!  I hiked the Crag Crest Trail in Colorado, taking me up on a climb of over four miles to an altitude of over 11,000 feet.  And of course, I had to come down, too!  (Ow! Ouch! Phew!!! Heavy breathing! Aching muscles! and BIG SMILE!!)  My beautiful rescue dog (and avatar, Delilah) led the way.  All this freaking nutritional restraint (almost restraint) and exercise discipline (almost discipline) is paying off.

[dancefoxtrot]

Thanks so much Bobbinyc,

I must admit that I have mostly chimp mind, a bit of sloth when I do jigsaw puzzle or play spider solitaire, and sometime a lioness mind of patiently knowing I can do this and then spring into action. Thanks so much for you ongoing support and wisdom. You rule. 

I made it to 135.8 this AM and that is a new low for the trampoline. It is encouraging.

I like your postings about doing the healthy eating and exercising and not focusing on immediate gratification of the scale showing loss since it is so complex. 

All the best as you bound over branches and boulders on your hikes. 

Barbara 

[dancefoxtrot]

Mystique

Good advice about listening to your body. 

Barb

[dancefoxtrot]

Awesime JacquilineP. What an accomplishment.

Barb

[debbriko]

Thank you so much for taking time to respond to my comment 😊 this is a great little community...
Many of the suggestions you provided are things I already do... I eat very few "cookie" type of foods already. I have been a member of weight watchers for 2 years and have managed in that time to lose 93 lbs and completely change the level of my physical activity. I went from never exercising at all and circling the parking lot trying to find a spot by the door to owning and yes using a treadmill, elliptical and mini trampoline 😄 I average 20k to 30k steps a day.. And exercise everyday now. I eat mostly chicken and fish, lots of fruits and veggies and some dairy like Greek yogurt and a little cottage cheese with fruit as a treat now and then. Never drink soda and alcohol maybe twice a year.. I seem to be stuck on a plateau recently. A couple lbs up a couple down...
I have arthritis in my knee and recently the doctor suggested I concentrate on the elliptical and stationary bike to strengthen the muscles on the inside of my thigh. He also gave me some exercises to do as well. Apparently strengthening that muscle will shift my knee cap and relieve some of the pain.. Who knows..
Anyway, not sure if building muscle is making the weight loss harder as you suggested or not but I guess time will tell. In the meantime I am hoping switching things up a little might give me a jump start?
Thanks again for your thoughts and for taking the time to post suggestions 😊
Debbie

[dancefoxtrot]

hi mcfloozy, 

Eek 8 TVs at the gym but I guess the sound is off and you can chooze something you like to watch. So your scale is a trampoline as well.

All the best,

Barb G

[dancefoxtrot]

Saraj

LOL. I had to google the word chuffed and it said British informal term for very pleased. That expression has not made it across the pond yet. We both started at 153( for me on Jan 28, 2015) and congratulations on hitting 150. The 140's are just around the corner. Glad that you joined us with your positive posts. I just hit 135.8 this morning so I'm chuffed too. I just eat fewer carbs and sugars and watch portion size. We are really helping our bodies so much by eating veggies, lean protein and fruit. 

Best,

Barb

[dancefoxtrot]

debbrinko

I'm impressed with the 93 lbs burned off and gone for good, and the 20-30,000 steps that you take each day.Do you tie your fitbit to your leg on the stationary bike and elliptical? That is what I have to do when I dance ballroom with a partner to have my steps counted.

Do you need to eat a little less of all those good foods that you eat ? I had to cut back on fruit and nuts some when I realized how quickly I could gooble up a 1/2 cup of nuts equalling 380 calories one handful at a time. Walnuts it was that as I cleaned or just walked past the open bag I'd take a few many times and they added up. 

All the best,

Barbara G

[debbriko]

Barbara thanks, been working pretty hard to get there 😄 weight has been an issue for me my entire life. This is the smallest I have been since i was a child... Even my husband never saw me n a size 14, I was size 16 when I met him 36 years ago lol
I have been thinking I might need to watch the fruit as I absolutely love it 😄 nuts are not as big a problem for me since my hubby likes to take them to work with him the day I buy them I divide them into individual servings and bag them. So if I do take nuts once and awhile I just grab one of the bags Now the fruit? Thats my go to so I will keep an eye on that...
Doctor thinks I might be increasing muscle ( of which I must admit I didn't have alot of before) hopefully he's right. I am going to start taking my measurements and keeping track to see if it shows up there. Wish I had taken them when I started back at a size 24/26.. Oh well
As far as wearing the fitbit on the elliptical and stationary bike.. On the elliptical I wear it on my bra like usual but on the stationary bike I wear it on my sock and that seems to work fine 😄
I have been following your posts about the dancing as well as the upcoming contest.. Bet the dress you have been working so hard on is amazing... You are going to blow them all away. Wish all of us following along could see you compete and be there to cheer you on but know we are all behind you 110 %... Good luck and show them how it's done 😊
Debbie

[viny22]

Barb thanks for looking up the word chuffed I have run across it several times when reading but always thought it meant dissatisfied or agitated learn something every day.

Rather disappointed in my fitbit ChargerHR as it will not pair up with my laptop so I must manually download all my info and the sight will not let me enter sleep and stairs at all tried everything that the help sight put out nothing working see that lots of people are having the same problem.

Still love the sight as it has me moving in the right direction will weigh in tomorrow morning I can tell it's going to be good already because of the way I feel and body changing.

[Bobbinyc]

@JacquelineP  Congrats on the hike!! What an accomplishment.  That is a terrific goal.  You have inspired me - I'm going to pick a hike to do and go for it.  To me, that's what this is really about.  Yeah, I want to look better, but, I want a fuller life.  I want to be able to do whatever I choose, whether a hike, a charity walk, dance, "ow, ouches and phews" not withstanding.  That big smile and proud feeling is worth everything.

[Bobbinyc]

@dancefoxtrot  Barb, congrats on the 135!! Hard fought for and you got it!  

                          I hope last night's dancing went well.  

[Bobbinyc]

@debbriko  Wow!  Look what you have accomplished!  You have not just lost a lot of weight, but look at that whole lifestyle change.  That is very impressive.  

[dancefoxtrot]

Hi Bobbinyc and wonderful challengers,

Thanks for all your support. I think the lioness in me came through when I danced. I was just a little scared at first but not a disabling amount. I'm pleased with how I danced or as our members in Gt. Britian say, "I'm chuffed."  Now the dance director with whom I dance has agreed to let me dance open Gold after the owner talked to him. That means that I will be able to dance the full range of complex steps that I love. Hopefully I can work well with him. All that buildup and now it is a peaceful summer hot Sunday to enjoy. I'm watching dance videos for new step inspiration as the dishwasher is running and I'm saying good morning to my lovely Fitbit friends. 

I love that we are focusing on increasing our choices in physical activity as opposed to letting the scale be our only focus. It is so clear in this discussion group that health, attitude and enjoying the journey matter. 

Sending you all out big hugs and lots of good energy to accompany you on your journey to a healthier and happier life.

Barbara G

[dancefoxtrot]

viny

Please call customer service and have them help you with it. I have a chargeHR and if I'm within 15-20 feet of my fitbit dashboard page on my laptop pc it syncs up. I can enter weight and food and activities when needed. You just need to set it up well and I had customer service help me twice in the first weeks and now it works well. 

Also they updated a new version so there are a few bugs to work out. 

About "chuffed" I opened a new tab for a definition of it.  Learning new info. is fun.  Isn't it cool that we have members from Europe and Australia in the discussions. It feels like we are one global family group moving toward better health. 

All the best on your journey,

Barb G